Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Council said Wednesday it had asked city-owned market operator Pasar Jaya to postpone the revitalization of Rawa Bening market in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.

The request came Wednesday as a response after a group of market vendor representatives visited the council. The group said there had been a disagreement between the operator and vendors over the price and quality of new spaces offered to them.

"We asked members of Commission B (on Economic Affairs) to suspend the revitalization of Rawa Bening market because we still need to address some issues," trader Achmad Suwardi said, representing Rawa Bening vendors.

He said Pasar Jaya had originally planned to demolish the building Jan. 7, and had first announced their plan two years ago, but the work was postponed after they received fierce opposition from traders.

"Traders have yet to agree with the proposed rent. Pasar Jaya has offered space at a price of Rp 49.5 million (US$5,245) per square meter for 10 years," he said.

"It's too expensive for us."

By comparison, he said the traders were required to pay only "hundreds of thousands of rupiah each month" for the spaces they occupied.

For example, Suwardi said paid Rp 200,000 per month in rent. It was far less than the proposed price for the new stall, he said.

According to Suwardi, only "a few" traders were involved in a meeting organized by Pasar Jaya at which the fee amount had been accepted.

"If no new agreement is made, the renovation will threaten the livelihoods of around 70 percent of 1,000 Rawa Bening market vendors who come from low-income households," he said.

Suwardi said the low-income traders were those responsible for keeping the market up and running.

"Pasar Jaya and the city administration need to address this issue seriously," said Suwardi, who has been selling cassettes and CDs for 22 years.

He also complained about the design of the new spaces, which he said were "inadequate".

"Based on the design we know, the new spaces will use doors made of plywood, which will be too fragile, in addition to the bad air circulation," he said.

After the meeting at the council, commission chairman Aliman A'at said he would make sure Pasar Jaya postponed the revitalization until they reached a new agreement.

"I have told Pasar Jaya officials to involve all the traders in the agreement for rent fees and space conditions," he said.

"The council will mediate both parties if they eventually fail to reach an agreement," he said.

Pasar Jaya's president director Uthand H. Sitorus said vendors "have agreed with the terms we have offered and have signed the agreements".

"They are now moving to temporary spaces behind the market before moving to the new space," he said.

Separately, 400 officers of the city public order agency, the Central Jakarta municipality and the Menteng sub-precinct Wednesday dismantled some 210 shanties, mainly inhabited by scavengers beneath elevated railway structures in Cikini, Central Jakarta.

 

Tags: Mustaqim Adamrah, Rawa Bening Market, Rawa Bening vendors